Public unconvinced ‘wasteful’ trip to Rwanda will solve Nairobi’s congestion

The Nairobi County Government has previously tried and failed to relocate PSVs from the CBD/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 20 – Kenyans want Governor Mike Sonko to invite Rwanda professionals to train hawkers, matatu and boda boda operators on how to keep the city clean and organised instead of sending them for benchmarking.

This follows an announcement by the Nairobi Chief of Operations Peter Mbaya on Thursday that they intend to send a group of 300 to borrow best practices from Rwanda.

“It is easier for professionals from Rwanda to come train the three sectors instead of taking all those people there,” said Ken Mwangi.

Opposing the move, most of the Kenyans said it will be a waste of resources which can be used on other development projects while others say that there is no need for benchmarking as only enforcement of the existing laws is required to bring sanity to the City.

“This is not a good decision because what is required of everyone is to follow rules and regulations which the county should enforce,” said Musa Juma.

However Mbaya defended the decision saying the benchmarking trip is intended to model the behaviors of the Rwandese and how they manage to keep their city clean by adhering to rules that Kenyans think are oppressive.

“We want them to go and get firsthand experience on how people there follow rules and regulations without complaining so that they will be able to come and apply them in our city,” he said.

Kigali, Rwanda has been often ranked as the cleanest city in Africa and it is also considered to be one of the most livable cities in Africa.

The plans to take the 300 to Rwanda come at a time when the Nairobi County Government is working out an approach to ridding the CBD of matatus, hawkers and boda bodas.

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Boda bodas had been barred from accessing the CBD but they defied the ban.

In a bid to decongest the city, the exercise of demolishing illegal structures where bus termini will be located is ongoing.

Ngara and Machakos Bus station are some of the termini to be used by Public Service Vehicles.

Nairobi County Government has identified Mwariro market in Kariokor as the permanent place to relocate hawkers who have invaded the Central Business District.

The construction of the market which is being funded by World Bank is expected to be complete in early 2019.